Article sorting machines



March 5, 1963 RABINOW ETAL 3, 80,072

ARTICLE SORTING MACHINES File d May 12, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1-lll'll-lll-lll-ill IINVQENTORS JACOB RAB/NOW HAROLD J. ROSENBERG BYW MATTORNEY March 5, 1963 J. RABINOW ETAL 3,080,072

ARTICLE SORTING MACHINES Filed May 12, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 73 w I Q8 73 74 \70 4- g; N s v INVENTORS JACOB RAB/NOW HAROLD J. ROSENBERGATTORNEY March 5, 1963 J. mow ETAL 3,080,072

ARTICLE SORTING MACHINES Filed May 12, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 JACOBRAB/NOW HAROLD J. ROSENBERG E 2a El l ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 5, 19%;

due

3,089,972 ARTECLE SORTEQG MACWIES Hacoh Rabinow, Taltorna Park, andHarold 1i. Rosenberg,

Silver Spring, Md, assignors, by direct and inesne assignments, toRahinow Engineering (10., c., Rockville, Md, a corporation of MarylandFiled May 12, 196i Ser. No. 28,779 7 Claims. (ill. 214-11) Thisinvention relates to the art of mechanical sorting, particularly tomachines for sorting non-uniform articles within a given size perameter.

Although our invention is especially useful in sorting letters, it is tobe understood that the principles of the invention apply to solveproblems in sorting numerous diilerent kinds of articles such as papers,rigid or flexible sheets or panels, packages, books, or magazines. Forbrevity, the subsequent description relates to letter sorting.

Prior sorting machines are reasonably satisfactory, however, they haveditliculties which have been tolerated in the past, but which areovercome by the invention. For example, prior machines do notsatisfactorily sort all letter mail, since some letter mail is oftencrumpled, corn, partially open, or otherwise mutilated, and it alwaysvaries in texture, size, weight, and general configuration. Further,current machines are lar e, bulky and expensive. Accordingly, an objectof the invention is to provide a comparatively small, inexpensive lettersor' g machine which functions more satisfactorily than prior machinesin that our machine is capable of sorti g almost any mail regardless ofthe condition of letters and regardless of the other variable relatingto texture, thickness, reasonable mutilation, etc.

Briefly, a machine following the principles of the invention, has anarticle, e.g. letter, sorting structure preferably made of a number ofspaced guides over which the article is moved. Letter diverting meanssuch as a gate or number of gates, in or essentially const 'uting thesupporting structure, are arranged to open and close, as programmed orcoded, to do the actual sorting. instead of moving the letters Whilethey are in an upright position such as in US. Patent No. 2,901,089, theletters are moved flatwise through a constrained path so that nodirection changing transformation space is required in the machinehandling of the letters. This provides a bulk reducing advantage of ourmachine.

A feature of the invention is the means used to r the letters throughthe machine. Symmetrical, undul rod-like members are intcrdigitated withthe .a sweep the letters, one by one, along the supporting usture whichis usually horizontal except at the ends which are generally verticallycurved. in the manifold configuration having superposed guide sections,the undulated shape is very important since it allows the unduiatedpropolling member to remain in contact with a particular letter duringthe entire path 01' travel of the letter, especially as it moves fromone section to another, and the same nndulated member positively propelsthe .etter into a final receptacle.

Another feature or the i vention which leads to a simpler machine, isour gate operating mechanism. lt is so constructed that the gates areactuated only when absolutely required, and then only for a halt cycle.US. Patent No. 2,901,089, discloses a selective rnechanisn for unloadingpockets in accordance with the comparative setting of code wheels andtracks. This inventim improves the functional utility of this mechanismby adding a swingable arm which is translated with the undulated memberdiscussed above. The arm has a cam follower which enters the specialthroat of a cam at each gate staove ted tion, the cam followerautomatically detecting the position of the gate and it satisfactory,the gate is not moved.

However, if the gate is in the incorrect position (which may be eitheropen or closed) the cam fol ower causes 5 the gate to move to the properposition where it remains until the next cam follower goes through thesame procedure. This has the advantage of gate operation only on demandof the mechanical programming of the machine.

Accordingly, another object of the invention is to provide a machineincorporating one or more of the above features to reduce the bulk ofhigh output, dependable sorting machines.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will becomeevident in following the description of the illustrated embodiments ofthe invention.

l is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a sorting machine embodyingthe principles of the in PEGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional viewtaken on the line 22 of FlGURE l.

GURE is a fragmentary top view showing essenc part of the machine whichis illustrated lagely diagrammatic view taken apline 4-4 of FIGURE 3 andshowing enlarged sectional View taken on the 2 showing principally amechaniold th ate in an open or a closed position.

enlarged sectional view taken approxil' 6 of FlGURE 2 and showing the 1device and a set of gate opthe open or closed position.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic side elevation view showing onepossible way of connecting an upper and lower article guide structuresection in order to form a continuous path for the movement of thearticles.

side elevational view or" one of the embers used in the preferred formof our machine.

11 is a side elevation view showing one module from which highercapacity machines may be constructed by stacking a number of suchmodules and making minor modifications as to the conveyor.

12 is a diagrammatic view showing a letter entering the machine.

In the accompanyin drawings there is an illustration of a it: capable ofsorting numerous difierent types or classes of articles, and the machineembodies the principles of the invention. Although many difierent typesof articles may be sorted by our machines and since the is ideallysuited for sorting letter mail, the subsequent description relates onlyto this particular type of article.

FlGURES l and 11 are diagrammatic side elevational views and as such,machine ill in FIGURE 1 discloses a suitable frame 12-, while machine llo in FlGURE 11 discloses a suitable frame 12a. Machine 19:: is actuallya module from which a machine such as that shown in FIG- UB5 1 may beconstructed by vertically stacking two or more modular units andchanging the single loop endless conveyor 14a to a convoluted endlessconveyor 14 to service all of the modules. Endless conveyor 14 (FIGURES2 and 3) is composed of three roller chains 15, 16, and 17 operated inunison, for instance by a common drive shaft 18 supported by bearings atone end of frame 12. Shaft 18 is driven by a cont-rolled power source,such as motor 19, and transmission 26 mechanically coupled with themotor and shaft 18. Endless conveyor 14a is similarly constituted,although the configuration is somewhat different as discussedpreviously. Therefore, shaft 18a and transmission 20:: respond infunction to shaft 18 and transmission 20. Inasmuch as roller chains havebeen selected to exemplify a preferred type of conveyor, shafts andsprockets are necessary at the ends of each flight of conveyor 14.

The letter supporting structure, composed of a plurality of laterallyspaced guides, forms a part of the machine to support letters L as theyare propelled. The nature of the guides difiers between adjacentsuperposed sections of the structure and the section which interconnectsthe superposed sections. For this construction, attention is directed toFIGURE 9 showing a first section 23, a secend section 24, and aninterconnecting section 25. Section 23 may have some gates 26 but has anentrance 91 (FIGURE 12) where there is no gate, while section 24 isentirely or almost entirely composed of a number of identical gates 26,each of which, when open, functions as a letter diverting means. Theinterconnecting section 25 is made of a number of laterally spacedplates 27, wires or the like formed with a curved outer surface 28. Itis clearly evident that it is unnecessary for section 23 and/ or section24 to be made entirely of gates 26. Instead, one or more gates may beused, however, the more efiicient arrangement is to have as many gatesas possible in each of these sections.

Each gate is of open wire framework construction, e.g. made of wire, andis generally triangular when viewed from the side. The apex part 31 ofthe gate is slanted (FIGURE 9) to assure that a letter moving over thetop of the gate will not slip between gates. If there is any tendency toslip between the adjacent gates, the leading edge of the letter rides onthe inclined parts 31 of the gates and is smoothly guided along in itsdesired path of travel as shown by the arrows in FIGURE 9. Transversebrace 34, for instance a lightweight flat strip, is secured to the wireframework of each gate 26 for rigidity. Shaft 33 is fixed to gate 26 andextends through an opening 35 (FIG- URE 8) in one of the frame members12b of frame 12, and there is a gate operating cam mechanism 36 attachedto one end of shaft 33. A device 38 is attached to the opposite end ofshaft 33, for retaining the gate in the open or closed position. Device38 is more fully described later, however, itfnnc-tions like a toggle.

In addition to frame member 12b, there are parallel frame members 12cand 12d respectively for each module (FIGURE 2), and shaft 33 extendstransversely across conveyor 14 which is supported by the three framemembers 12b, 12c, and 12d for the upper flight of a single module ofmachine ltla or machine 10. The three frame members 12b, 12c, and 12dhave longitudinal members 12c, 12 and 12g on which resilient strips 49,41, and 42 are secured. These resilient strips may be made of rubber orsome other elastomeric substance. The roller chains 15, 16, and 17 aredisposed on the strips so that the machine runs comparatively silently.V

Laterally spaced guides 44 are attached to frame 12, and as shown inFIGURE 2, guides 44 are located above doors 26 of section 23 and forsimplicity, they are shown as angle members. FIGURE 2 furthershows thatguides 44 are in echelon with doors 26. Guides 44 are similarly arrangedwith respect to section 24, although they are not shown in FIGURE 9 tosimplify the drawing. Guides 46 of section 25 are connected to theadjacent ends of guides 44 of sections 23 and 24, but the curvature 47is on a larger radius than the curvature of guides 25 and slightlyeccentric thereto in orderzto have a larger throat 4 48 enabling theletters L to make the turn between sections 24 and 23.

The propulsion means for the letters are shown 1n FIG- URE l0, and therelationship between the article supporting structure and the propulsionmeans is shown in FIG- URE 2. The letter propulsion means are eachcomposed of a symmetrical rod or rod-like member 50 which isof wavy orundulated shape to enable the member 59 to be interdigitated with guides44, doors 26 and other parts of the letter supporting structure in thecurved sec-trons 25. The interdigitation is preserved as the propulsionmeans pass through connecting section 25 since the interconnectingsection 25 was described as being made of a number of laterally spacedmembers 27. Guides 46 are also laterally spaced in the same fashion ofthe spacing shown in FIGURE 2. The relationship between member 50, gates26, and guides 44 allows a given PI'OPUlSlOIl device 56 to move a letterthroughout the entire path of travel of the machine regardless of theorientation of sections and regardless of the number of sections whichare stacked or otherwise connected.

One end of member 50 is secured to conveyor chain 17, for example it maytake the place of one of the P1115 of the roller conveyor. The oppositeend 51 of the propulsion member 5% is passed through chain 16 ofconveyor 14, secured to chain 15, and has a guide wheel 52 Wllh acircumferential groove engaged with rail 53 that 1s secured to orconstitutes a part of frame member 1211. Rail 53 s continuous andextends around each section of machine it) regardless of the number ofmodules in the mach ne.

Mechanical code mechanism 56 is used in machines 10 and 10a, and thecode mechanism is similar to the code mechanism shown and described inthe previously referred to patent. Other code devices or mechanisms maybe adopted, however, the code mechanism llustrated and described inPatent No. 2,901,089 functions very well. Briefly, the code mechanismdisclosed in that patent has an adjustable but stationarily supportedcode device 57 secured to a stationary part of the machine, and amovable code device 58 which is propelled in co-ord1- nation with themovement of letter receptacles or pockets. Wehave modified the codemechanism 56 to'some extent. Two swinging arms 59 and 60 have beenmounted for pivotal movement on the end 51 of member 50. Code device 58consisting of a number of code wheels 61 settable longitudinally onshaft 62, are carried by the arms 59 and 60 by having shaft 62 attachedto these arms. Wheel 63 which rides on the surface of cam track 64 in afashion quite similar to that described in the previously referred topatent, is mounted on shaft 62. Code bars 65 of device 57 arepositionable at different places, and the code wheels 61 are adjustableon shaft 62 so that the machine may be coded or programmed. When thecode devices 57 and 58 match, instead of having an arm drop verticallyas in the previously referred to patent, the two arms 5? and 60 swingdownward on the end 51 of propulsion device 50.

Swinging arm 66 has a cam follower 68, for example a wheel carried by aspindle 69 attached to arm 60. The cam follower is used to actuate thegate operating mechanism 36 and for this construction reference toFIGURES 6-8 is suggested.

Gate operating mechanism 36 is made of a double cam 72 having two camsand 71. The cams are spaced to define a throat 73 through which camfollower 68 passes. A stationary member, for example a plate 74,longitudinally divides throat 73 and the stationary member '74 issecured to frame member 12b. A supporting block 75 is secured to doublecam 72 and has an opening in it. Shaft or spindle 33 is fastened in thisopening so that the shaft 33 is rotated clockwise or counterclockwisedepending upon the direction of movement of the double cam 72. The twocam surfaces are relatively fiat and tapered toward one another, andhave divergent ends to permit the cam follower 68 to enter the doublecam if the conveyor belt is occasionally reversed during assembly orservicing.

FIGURE 7 shows the four possible operational conditions of gateoperating mechanism 36. At the right side of FIGURE 7, cam follower isshown entering the upper section of throat 73 which would mean that codemechanisms 57 and 58 are mismatched and wheels 63 did not drop into thedwell of the cam (FIGURE 6) but rather, were retained at the level 78 ofthe code bars 65, which is coincident with the top surface of cam 64.Cam follower 68 would then ride on member '74 and engage the surface ofcam 78' and cause the double cam 72 to move mechanism as in thedirection of the arrow. This moves typical gate 26 to a closed position.

The adjacent diagram (second from the right in FIG- URE 7) shows the camfollower 68 entering the lower ection of throat 73, meaning that shaft62 was allowed to drop toward t..e cam dwell. This would be when thefixed and movable code devices 57 and 58 coincide. The result of camfollower 68 entering the lower section of throat 73 is that the gateoperating mechanism is moved in the direction of the arrow and the gateconnected to gate operating mechanism 36 is moved to an open position.

The next adjacent cam and cam follower relationship (second from left)merely shows that if the gate operating mechanism 36 is already in theposition demanded by code mechanism 56, the cam follower 68 will simplypass through throat 73. The final condition (first from left) depictedin FIGURE 7 shows that cam follower 68 will pass freely through theupper section of the gate operating mechanism without disturbing theposition, if the gate is already in the correctly closed position.

i To the extent that the cam follower, code mechanism 56 and gateoperating mechanism 36 coact to move the gate operatin mechanism onlywhen required, these may be consi ered as means for operating the gateonly when the gate is not already in the desired position. Further, thegate does not continually cycle and recycle. Instead, it is'actuatedonly upon demand and this reduces Wear, vibration, and is mechanicallysimple. The gate 26 functions only on demand, and then only for a halfcycle. FIGURE 5 shows one possible structural means for retaining thegate in the open or closed position, although other means which are moresimple or more complex may be substituted. Shaft 33 has an arm 81secured to one end and this arm constitutes a portion of means 38briefly identified previously. Two adjustable mechanical stops, forexample screws 82 and 83 are secured to frame member 120 and theyestablish the upper and lower limits of swinging movement of arm 81.Spring 84 is secured at its ends to frame member 120 and arm 81, and itoperates like an overcenter toggle spring yieldingly retaining the arm81 in the position to which it is moved by the gate operating mechanism36. Other substitute expedients such as using the friction in thebearing for the gate 26; or having screws 8?. and 33 magnetized aspermanent magnets, may be used, however, it has been found that theillustrated spring means 38 serve the purpose very elfectively and arequite simple in construction.

Each gate 25 has a letter pocket 88 below it in which the letters whichare diverted by the gates, when open, are accumulated. The letterpockets may be similar to those in the previously referred to patent, inwhich case, they would be secured to the frame of the machine.

The method of loading the sorting machine forms no part of the presentinvention. It is sufiicient to note (FIGURE 12) that guides 44 have aletter entrance opening 91, and an inserter schematically represented bygate 92, is registered with this opening. One or more openings 91 andinserters may be used. The inserter need be nothing more than a chutecontrolled by gate 92., but it is evident that machine or machine 16amay be manually fed; use a conventional inserter or feed mechanism or aspecially developed inserter.

In operation, letters L are inserted one by one so that a single letterenters the passageway between the letter supporting doors 26 and guides44. Propulsion device 50 is used to move a single letter along thesupporting structure. It the proper position for gate 26 at a given timeand for a given letter is closed and the gate is already closed, thepropulsion device 59 will simply move the letter over the gate as shownin FIGURES 4 and 9. When the letter being propelled by propulsion deVice 5%} reaches a station at which the programming of the machine asestablished by a particular code mechanism 56, demands that the letterbe dropped into a pocket or onto a transverse unloading conveyor, theparticular gate in question is opened as shown in dotted lines at 25' inFIGURE 4, whereby the letter falls through the opening that iscontrolled by that gate. When a gate is open, the tip of the gate isabove the plane of the adjacent letter supporting structure, and themember 59 con tinues to push the letter. The letter, therefore, mustpass under the door. 1

Numerous modifications, variations, and changes of other types may bemade in the light of the preceding isclosure. It is therefore to beunderstood that the illustrations are given by way of example only andthat the invention may be practiced otherwise than specifically shownand described and still remain within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a sorting machine which has an article supporting structureprovided with openings to receive articles, a gate for each opening,each gate having a spindle, means connected with said spindle forturning said spindle to move the gate to the open and closed positionrespectively, resilient means retaining the gate in either position whenmoved thereto by said spindle turning means, movable means forpropelling the articles on said structure and including an undulatedmember, mechanical coding means to govern the operation of said spindleturning means, said coding means including an arm swingably mounted on apart of said undulated member and swinga'ble to a selected position assaid spindle turning means are approached by said arm to engage saidspindle turning means at a predetermined approach position, said spindleturning means including a pair of spaced cams connected with saidspindle and providing a throat therebetween, and a cam follower on saidarm which passes through said throat to move either cam when it is inthe path of travel of said cam follower so that said cam follower passesthrough said throat without actuating either cam when neither cam is inthe path of travel of said cam follower.

2. The machine of claim 1 wherein there is a stationary member betweensaid cams longitudinally dividing said throat and providing a surfaceagainst which said cam follower reacts.

3. In an article sorting machine which has a plurality of gatesproviding a supporting surface for the articles, individual means foroperating each gate including actuating means secured to each gate,article moving means to move the anticles over said surface, a movablecode device swingably connected to a part of said moving means, astationary code device, and said movable code device being swingable todifferent positions representmg code match and code mis-matchrespectively of said code devices and engaging said gate actuating meansat one of said different positions, said gate actuating means includinga movable member having a pair of spaced deflectors, said deflectorsmovable with said member, one of said deflectors being engaged to open agate and the other being engaged to closethe gate, and said deflectorsproviding clearance for said movable code device when the gate isalready in the position called for by the code match or mis-maltchrespectively.

4. In an article sorting machine having means to sup- 7 port thearticles, a plurality of gates constituting a part of said articlesupporting means, a gate operating structture connected to each gate, anarticle moving means adjacent to said supporting means, a first codedevice adjacent to said support, a second code device movable with saidarticle moving means and adapted to interrogate said first code devicewhile being moved with said article moving means, said second codedevice including a shaft provided with a plurality of code elements,means mounting said shaft on a part of said article moving means toallow said shaft and elements to swing to a predetermined position whenthe codes of said code devices match, the swinging movement of saidarticle moving means being with respect to said part of said articlemoving means, means connected with shaft and en- 'gageable with saidgate operating structure to actuate the same, said gate operatingstructure including means having spaced surfaces which define alternatepassageways for said gate-operating structure actuating means, onepassageway being entered when said code devices match and theother'passageway being entered when the code devices mismatch, one ofsaid passageways being in the closed position when the gate associatedtherewith is open and the other passageway associated with the sarnegate being in the open position when said gate is closed so that saidgate is already in the position called for by said gate-operating meansactuating means the gate is not actuated by said gate-operatingstructure.

5. In an article sorting machine, a frame structure, a plurality ofgates defining an article supporting surface, each gate having a spindlepivotally mounted on said frame structure, means including a pluralityof spaced members to move individual articles along said surface in apredetermined path of travel, an escort code device oonnected with eachmember and movable in unison therewith, a second code device connectedwith said frame structure, there being a said second code device foreach gate, each escort code device adapted to be preset in accordancewith. the destination information of the article whichis moved by thesaid member with which the escort code device is associated and adaptedto match the said second code device associated with the gate throughwhich the last-mentioned article is supposed V V 8 to pass for sorting,said escort and second code devices having means enabling an escort codedevice to be displaced when an escort code device matches a said secondcode device, means for actuating said gates in the following mode: (a)when a gate is closed and a given pair of escort and second code devicesmatch the gate is opened and remains open until the next succeedingescort code reaches the stationary code device of said given pair and(b) if said next escort code matches said stationary code said nextescort code device is displaced and the open gate remains open but (c)if said next escort code device mismatches the stationary code the gateis closed, whereby a plurality of successive articles to the samedestination pass through a gate which remains open until an article foranother destination occurs at which the gate is closed, said gateactuating means including a cam mechanism for each spindle, each cammechanism including a pair of spaced cam surfaces, a cam-operatingmember attached to each escort code device and being in one of twoplanes as a cam mechanism is approached, one plane being establishedwhen the escort and second code devices mismatch and the other planeestablished by the code devices matching at Which said displacement ofthe escort code device occurs, so that one or the other of said camsurfaces can be engagedor passed by said cam-operating member when saidmember moves past said cam mechanism in either plane.

6. The sorting machine of claim 5 and resilient means operative to' holdeach gate in either the open or the closed position.

7. The sorting machine of claim 2 wherein the arti-. cles are letterswhich are adapted to move over said supporting structure while thearticles are laying fia't'on said article supporting structure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,453,125 Briggs Apr. 24, 1923 2,901,089 Rabinow Aug. 25,1959-2,970,'684 Tangard Feb. 7, 1 961

3. IN AN ARTICLE SORTING MACHINE WHICH HAS A PLURALITY OF GATESPROVIDING A SUPPORTING SURFACE FOR THE ARTICLES, INDIVIDUAL MEANS FOROPERATING EACH GATE INCLUDING ACTUATING MEANS SECURED TO EACH GATE,ARTICLE MOVING MEANS TO MOVE THE ARTICLES OVER SAID SURFACE, A MOVABLECODE DEVICE SWINGABLY CONNECTED TO A PART OF SAID MOVING MEANS, ASTATIONARY CODE DEVICE, AND SAID MOVABLE CODE DEVICE BEING SWINGABLE TODIFFERENT POSITIONS REPRESENTING CODE MATCH AND CODE MIS-MATCHRESPECTIVELY OF SAID CODE DEVICES AND ENGAGING SAID GATE ACTUATING MEANSAT ONE OF SAID DIFFERENT POSITIONS, SAID GATE ACTUATING MEANS INCLUDINGA MOVABLE MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED DEFLECTORS, SAID DEFLECTORSMOVABLE WITH SAID MEMBER, ONE OF SAID DEFLECTORS BEING ENGAGED TO OPEN AGATE AND THE OTHER BEING ENGAGED TO CLOSE THE GATE, AND SAID DEFLECTORSPROVIDING CLEARANCE FOR SAID MOVABLE CODE DEVICE WHEN THE GATE ISALREADY IN THE POSITION CALLED FOR BY THE CODE MATCH OR MIS-MATCHRESPECTIVELY.